Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM available in July for around $799 / £800

Sigma USA has announced its 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM Art lens for APS-C DSLRs - the world's first constant F1.8 zoom - will be available from July at a street price of around $799. Meanwhile the recommended retail price will be £799.99 in the UK, and €999 in Europe. The company has also said the lens will be available for Pentax and Sony mounts, as well as the Canon, Nikon and Sigma mounts originally announced. It covers a 27-52.5mm equivalent range and offers the depth-of-field of a constant F2.7 lens on full-frame. Click through for more information and to link to our first impressions of shooting with the lens.

Note that the 'Recommended Retail Price' of £799.99 (€999 in Europe) is a subtly different thing from the US $799 'street price': it'll probably settle down to a lower figure after the lens has been on sale for a bit. UK prices also include VAT, while US prices are quoted without sales tax, and of course EU buyers get more favourable warranty terms. So the discrepancy isn't quite as great as it may appear from a simple currency conversion.

As the market’s first zoom lens to achieve a maximum aperture of F1.8 throughout the entire zoom range, the 18-35mm was created for DSLR cameras with APS-C size sensors, which translates to a focal range of 27-52.5mm on a 35mm camera. This lens will be available early July in Sigma and Canon mounts, with Nikon, Sony and Pentax mounts to follow.

“Sigma users are really excited about this lens. They’ve been watching the new Art line very closely – and their reaction to our initial announcement of this lens has been fantastic,” said Mark Amir-Hamzeh, president of Sigma Corporation of America. “More than 50 years of innovating with photography equipment has helped us build new generation lenses like the 18-35mm F1.8. We’re confident that photographers who focus on landscape, portrait, still-life, studio, close-up and casual shots will love this lens.”

The 18-35mm F1.8 is the latest addition to the company’s Art line of lenses, designed under the new Global Vision. The Global Vision lenses have a sleek new design with the manufacturing year stamped on the barrel, and are categorized by use into one of three groups: Art, Contemporary and Sports. The Art category delivers high-level artistic expression through sophisticated and abundant expressive power.

The new 18-35mm F1.8 lens features Sigma’s improved AF/MF switch and the use of Thermally Stable Composite (TSC) compound material, which has a high affinity to metal parts, consistently performs well at extreme temperatures, and reduces the size and weight of the lens. The lens’ Super Multi-Layer Coating reduces flare and ghosting and provides sharp and high contrast images, even in backlit conditions. Sigma’s Hyper Sonic Motor (HSM) ensures a silent, high-speed AF function, while its nine-blade, rounded diaphragm creates an attractive, round bokeh at large-aperture settings.

The 18-35mm F1.8 lens is also compatible with Sigma’s new USB Dock, which is available for the street price of $59, enabling photographers to update lens firmware and adjust focus parameters from their computers.

OK, let me say first that I am very impressed by this lens and am close to preordering one.

However, I haven't seen anyone comment on the character of the oof background blur. While the highlight bokeh seems good (though it has some edge highlighting at some apertures), it seems to me that much of the oof background areas are a bit "nervous." Has anyone else noticed this?

I've tried to compare 35mm f1.8 images from this lens to similar images taken with Sigma's 35mm f1.4 lens, and it seems to me the f1.4 lens produces a smoother, calmer background.

I think I'm going to get flamed for this critical comment, but I am interested in what others think about this.

Well, Lenstip's Polish motherpage just did a review, save for the lens being prone to flare when stepped down, it's rated excellent in every other aspect.If you can live with Google translation, here you go:http://www.optyczne.pl/297.1-Test_obiektywu-Sigma_A_18-35_mm_f_1.8_DC_HSM__Wstęp.html

The lens is being sold in the UK on-line for £649 while at B&H in the US it goes for $799. When you take out the 20% VAT in the UK, you will see that they are currently selling (pre-tax) at similar levels. The US price does not include sales taxes that often have to be added on and can be as high as 8-9% more.

17-55/2.8G was part of the f-number cheating and it already swindled enough money.

Nikon users should choose 24-70/2.8G on D700/D600, not the infamous 17-55. 24-70 is still a good choice but now Sigma provides another solution using their existing DX cameras to get same high quality image but with a narrower zoom range.

well... it's 1 and 1/3 f-stop difference, so enough to make a real difference. Only problem is that you loose a bit of wide angle and tele. It might not be a best thing... depends really though on a type of photography you do.

Awesome price! Sigma is always pushing to be affordable but for a lens like this I was actually expecting a higher price (just like the 35mm F1.4). Thank you Sigma for not being Canon (the worst "let's double the price for version 2" company).

this is a dslr lens. Would have to be redesigned for mirrorless because of shorter flange distances. You can probably use it with an a-mount adapter on e-mount (making it even bigger, but you can). Mirrorless is not made for big lenses, so if you want to use them just get a dslr.

If you're spending $800 for a lens which takes up significantly more space than your NEX, I hardly see the negative about purchasing the adapter for full PDAF anyway. The alpha version is as close to an E-mount version as there needs to be. People wanting big lenses on their NEX can buy a very very good adapter (or just an alpha SLR ffs)

Yes it will. All lenses for APC-C cameras operate as FF when used with a 1.4 converter but you lose a stop. Converters work by increasing the image circle of the lens. Some lenses, such as the Tokina 10-17mm fish, are FF through part of their zoom range even without a converter. The Tokina is FF between 14 and 17mm

New Zeiss HQ/Highend FF Distagon 55/1.4 will kill this zoom and any lens ever in terms of quality by multiple lenghts. at 3 -3.5x the price. As already mentioned. In an interview Zeiss managers(amount the two was dr. nasse) confessed that until recently they were not allowed to offer highest topquality for the publice. This lens is the first of a series which will show the real optical possibilities. Maybe i will sell a lot of my stuff, forgetting 6x6/6x7. Zeiss said the new series will have MF-quality.

Yes, and a D800 is way better quality than a D7000, at 3x the price. What's your point? You are missing the purpose of the new Sigma lens entirely. It is to offer a low-light zoom at prices that lots of entry and mid-range camera owners can actually afford. Sigma will sell 30x more of these than Zeiss will sell it's 55/1.4 ( which is a lousy comparisson, BTW because it's not even within the same focal length.)

Fixed manual focus boutique prime versus a consumer zoom. What a non sequitur. It's like telling us that a 747 will fly faster than the sigma lens. Our reply would be "of course" followed by "so what"?

@ GeorgeD200:Destroy the image quality? The Speed Booster is an optical compressor that will take the image circle from the center of the lens and condense it to fit over the MFT sensor. If anything, that process of condensing the image decreases apparent lens defects and can actually improve sharpness and IQ.

@ peevee1:Ah, right -- my mistake! It'll indeed be a 25.56 mm to 49.7 mm equivalent.As for the heft, yeah it'll definitely be bulky. It might seem like overdoing it on most MFT cameras, but the GH3, being unusually large for its sensor, should accommodate it fine.Anyway, it just comes down to use cases and personal preference; I'm interested in it despite its girth.

Fair point. All glass getting in the way of the sensor will slightly blur the image obtained through it -- I should have left out "IQ" in my response.Still, I'll maintain that the destruction of image quality shouldn't be a large concern with the Speed Booster.Thanks for keeping my perspective in check, anyway.

Fantastic news. This was ask for before by other folks, and I'll ask again: Give samples on full-frame. Why APS-on-full-frame? You can crop. If you're doing a square crop, for instance, you get more image than you would on APS. If you're okay with a bit of vignetting, you get more image. Etc.

The lens is also likely to perform differently on full frame at different focal lengths and apertures. There may be some combos where it does quite well.

So if an EF version was used on a NEX 6 with the metabones speed booster, would it effectively be a 12-24mm F/1.2? Or would the Focal length and max aperture remain the same because it's not a FF lens? My head hurts.

It would, indeed, be a 12-24mm f/1.2. Sadly, the image wouldn't fill the whole sensor. You'd get the same black circle as you would if you used an APS lens directly on full-frame. Still, it can be an advantage if you're planning to crop anyways (e.g. for a square photo).

The Speed Booster for the NEX cameras is designed to adapt lenses with a full-frame image circle to cameras with an APS-C image circle. So, since this lens is meant for APS-C to begin with, you'll end up with a lot of vignetting. Also, your focal length conversion might be wrong (depending on your base crop factor). Without the Speed Booster this lens would be equivalent to a full-frame 27-53 mm when attached to a Sony NEX APS-C camera.With the Speed Booster, it'd be equivalent to a full-frame 19-37 mm lens when on the NEX APS-C cameras.

With the MFT version of the Speed Booster, which is designed for the smaller image circle, this lens will come out to a 37-49 mm equivalent since MFT has a 2x crop factor to begin with.

To get the full-frame equivalent focal length for the Speed Booster, you do this:

Why are you multiplying the aperture by the focal length "equivalency" numbers? To gauge the "equivalent" aperture of this lens, shouldn't you be comparing depth of field and circle of confusion? All you amateur lens engineers around here crack me up. Pointless formulas to the 3rd decimal place, LOL!

When they published specifications of this lens, that was the reason for me to start thinking about system change. Somewhere in that time Canon also announced their small and light camera, so there two would be paired beautifully.

This is the brightest zoom lens so far and lenses with large aperture are always heavy due to the larger glass elements. Those who are used to cheap entry level zoom lens will be disappointed. This lens will weigh about the same as the full frame Canon 24-70 f/2.8L. One cannot have everything.

If one is used to professional quality lenses this is normal but if you are a novice using, say, a Canon 700D, you may be in for a shock. In the end, you may prefer your micro 4/3 instead.

If you want a fast lens on a Canon 700D you would have to use a prime like a 35mm f/2.0. I have tried using my Canon EF 24mm f/1.4L MkII on the 100D and found it to balance quite well. Great for street photography but if you are a novice it is unlikely you would buy a 24mm f/1.4 MkII. The price is more than USD2000.

Yes, this new Sigma will feel a bit unbalance on a light body.

Perhaps thats the reason Leica has to use a slow zoom lens on their new "Mini-M". A large aperture zoom would be too heavy.

I am aware of the weight issues, but consider this: I currently use E-450 (which is even lighter than the Canon's offering), with ZD-25 F2.8 lens, which is incredibly light (about 100gr). However, today, I had to mount Sigma 35 F1.4 to that same camera, to photograph an event. All vent fine, but sigma is about 500 gr or more. So, when you consider the gain from such an astounding zoom, and (relatively) small weight penalty, I am all in it for this. Essentially fro all purposes, from travel to even photography (I really like small cameras).

For the m43 comment - I don't like them. Even SLR cameras are sterile, compared to rangefinders [and I don't want to pay for Leica (cameras and lenses are expendable tools)], and m43 is even more so. When you look through that digital window into the world, it cuts you out completely from the scene.

When first launched, the Sigma SD1 had a US MSRP of $10,000 but apparently a street price of $6899 (according to Sigma US).

There are reports of the 18-35mm being available for around GBP650 (which would be a street price). That's $812 - $866 (assuming that's a price inc VAT and with an exchange rate in the range of 1:1.5 - 1:1.6)

if Sigma comes up with 1-2 more lenses like that, they will create a new market for Event photographers & Film makers. Switching lenses during events is the worst thing to do. I basically carry 2-3 bodies around my neck with 1.8 or 1.4 prime lenses, and a 2.8 zoom lens. Having a lens that covers a wide angle to semi close-up all trough the 1.8 aperture is just phenomenal.

You can mount this thing on a Canon SL1 if you really wanted to. If Sigma does make another one of these (or two) catering to portrait and telephoto, you better believe a lot of wedding shooters are going to ditch putting multiple heavy FF bodies around their neck in favor of featherlight APS-C bodies.

I just do not get it completely - so what is wrong with Nikkor 17-55/2.8? One step down? But much more usable range! Are all of you guys sure that 1.8 is fully usable at any setting and any situation? Come on, Gentlemen! Take a closer look at the samples! At 5.6 good copy of Nikkor is the same, if not better! (My question to Nikonians, of cose!)

though I don't have access to as many copies as lensrentals, my small sample were from different batches, from both factory and NPS, and represent better the over all quality of DX17-55/2.8 which is not good.

think Nikon guys were still learning how to design and make lens at the time. it's good they did come out later with high quality lenses since 2007.

Good, point, Ingloryon. Except f/2.8 on APS-C is more like f/4.5 on FF, so indeed, cropping from 35/1.8 can give pretty good 50 mm.Of course, you cannot go wider by cropping, so for photographing big groups, FF with 24-70 (or m43 with 12-35 for light weight) is so much sweeter.

Moizes, the amount of light in a aps-c sensor through an f/1.8 is about the same as in a fullframe sensor through an f/2.8. That's exactly the reason that fullframe sensors has better iso performance. If you could take a little of thinking you would got it by yourself.

And FYI the math behind this conversion is f-number times crop factor (1.8 x 1.5 = 2.7 which is almost 2.8)

ps: I believe that peevee's calculation was 2.8 x 1.6(canon) = 4.48, almost 4.5. I did 2.8 x 1.5(nikon) = 4.2, almost 4.pps: you're welcome for the lesson.

Wonder if THIS front element is held on with double-sided tape? I will NEVER buy anything from this company, and I won't let the photographic community forget the foundation on which they built this company.

As someone who had the misfortune of selling Sigma lenses not once but twice, it's hard to get past their mechanical (and in many cases, optical) history. But all indications are that they have turned over a new leaf. Never thought I'd say this but if they made a lens I really wanted, I'd probably take the gamble. Of course, I'd prefer Tokina or even Tamron but that's not an option here.

Pardon my ignorance, but what is that mysterious foundation on which Sigma was built? Since the film days I have shot several Sigma lenses - on Minolta and Sigma bodies - and actually they were all pretty decent, both optically and mechanically, sometimes even better than that. As a Pentaxian, I appreciate the fact that Sigma cares to produce a fair (and affordable) selection of K mount lenses which nicely supplements Pentax's own lineup. And this includes their latest 'Global vision' glass, as the above 18-35mm F1.8, which in combination with Sigma's efforts at improving their quality control strikes me as quite impressive ...

Foundation?!!!!Virgin records started out of the back of a car. Hyundai made the "Pony". Germany gave the world Hitler. Leica used to be an affordable camera. People and companies have the right to improve. So far so good for Sigma.

I think thats bad attitude, world is Turing around its axis and nothing stands still. One companies come, other go. Sigma showed their abilities with 35 1.4. If you are brand addicted thats up to you, but you should always seek for the best...

"I won't let the photographic community forget the foundation on which they built this company."

Lame attitude. It's "what have you done lately" that really counts, not what they might have done a decade or so ago. Companies change over time. Consider that Apple computer was once on the verge of bankruptcy. Now look at them. Consider that Kodak once dominated the photo industry. Now, their name is mud in the photo industry.